My Morning Routine

Updated: XX


Here's something I wish I had started doing 40 years ago. It's a simple routine that I do each morning after breakfast. It helps set me up for the day but could equally well be done in the evening or just before bed.

All in it takes about 15 minutes and consists of the following

7 Minutes Freestyle Mobility.

This is just hitting a few areas with basic mobilisations. Seven minutes is about the right time as it is enough to hit three areas lightly or spend a bit more time on a couple. Or maybe spend the full whack on a particularly gnarly area (step forward adductors.) I don't get concerned about timing or specifics, I just do what feels right until the alarm sounds.

1 minute Camel Pose https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/camel-pose

A great opener for the whole front part of my body from the knees upward and a great way to counter the tightness that comes into this area as a result of spending long hours on a bike

XX 1 minute Downward Dog

The counterpoint to Camel opens up the posterior chain.  I don't hold this static but move back and forth to floss the hamstrings and open up my overhead.

1-2 minutes Squat

Just dropping down into the bottom of a squat and spending time there using breathing and contract/release to explore all the corners of the position. I have been astonished how just doing this every day has made my creaky old knees feel so much better. It's also a great progress test. When I started I could barely get my hips below my knees and a minute felt forever. Now my hips sink much lower and spending a couple of minutes feels almost comfortable

XX Side Planks

Each side, currently 30s, increasing by 1 second each day. This is the only "core" exercise I find difficult

Couple of Turkish Getups

The Turkish Getup is the best single exercise that I know of to fully mobilise and put a little load into my entire body and every joint. I do a couple each side with a light weight as I am more interested in this from the mobility rather than the strength viewpoint at this time of day.

Bench Press/Single Arm Row

Just one quick of each, weight a 3-5 max limit. I'll do 1-2 reps less than max just concentrating on form.

That's it. If I have a bike workout I'll move straight on to that, all set up and ready to go.